hi everyone

April 20, 2002

In a message dated 4/20/02 10:38:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

starangel688_@... writes:

<< hands try Baby Oil Gel, >>

BJ, thanks, I remember you telling us this before and I forgot what it was

you said you used. I wrote it down this time. LOL

hugs

PS. Hope things area going well for you.

April 20, 2002

sharyn, dont know much about the burning knees but the hands try Baby Oil Gel, and then lotion. my hands and heels were just like that and have started using it, and has helped alot. still somewhat dry but lots better, Hi Everyone Hi Everyone First...Happy late and early birthday to all of you who I didn't get a chance to wish you one. Been sorta slow these last few weeks and have been hitting my pillow very early. Saw my Rheumy and my blood work still looks good except my white blood count is a little high, but he feels it's due to the medication. He's lowered my Prednisone done from 15 mg to 12 1/2 mg since my hot flashing etc seems to be slowing down. As for my dentist he wants me to try and wait until he can get the Pred down lower before having that tooth of mine pulled. I can live with that since I'm not in pain. I do have one thing he is checking right now and that is the total weakness in both my legs. It's gotten to the point if I get down I cannot get up again. No strength in my legs at all. I've always had fat and very muscular legs and this bothers me. Feel like that commercial where the little old lady has fallen and says, "Help! I've fallen and cannot get up". Yep...that's me. He's doing another blood test on that. Told me it could be a another form of an immune disorder where the muscles become inflamed. It could also be from my cholesterol medication which can cause this as well as joint pain. Will have to see. May have to have a muscle biopsy as well. Saw a copy of the letter he sent my company. Very nicely put, but to sum it up he briefly explained my disease and the care I was getting as well as the stress level "had" to be taken care of because it can and does worsen my health. So far at work it has been very pleasant and I too have tried to not be so uptight. Don't know if I'm doing something right or the medication is doing it, but my blood pressure has "never" been as low at it was recorded yesterday 110/56. He told me that was good and not to worry about it getting lower. Not bad for a 54 year old woman. Am taking it easy this weekend since I have been so dang tired this week. Was going to stay in my jammies today, but one of my poor doggies has broken out with little bumps all over her that itch like crazy. We tried Bendryl, but it's not helping so I have to take her to the vet today so darn...that means I have to get dressed. Have a question for you wonderful people. Do any of you have the weakness in your legs and also do any of you have a burning in your knees? Boy, do both my knees burn..in the joint if you call it that. Oh, also how about your hands. Do any of you have hands so dry that it looks like you have had them stuck in chemicals all day? Mine have become so bad that even putting heavy creams and stuff on them and sleeping with gloves on doesn't help. Got my hair conditioned and cut last night too so feel more human than a dry mop. So far with the MTX my hair isn't falling out, but it sure has dried up and looked like I had stuck it in an oven. However, if it continues to dry and die then I may have to do the drastic and that is shave the head and get a wig. Oh well, I'm ready so that doesn't bother me. Sorry I haven't written much, but I spend so much at a computer during the day at work when I get home it's difficult for me to post. Just wanting everyone to know that I'm thinking of all of you, my prayers to those who are really having problems. Big Hugs to all Sharyn DISCLAIMER!!WE ARE NOT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, THEREFORE ANY INFORMATION THAT IS RECEIVED HERE IS FROM EXPERIENCE ONLY. PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TRYING ANYTHING THAT IS SUGGESTED. WE ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR YOUR PHYSICIAN AND ARE NOT TRYING TO BE. REMEMBER EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND TREATMENT MAYBE DIFFERENT FOR MANY OF US. THANK YOU

July 12, 2002

> , I sympathise with this one too. I had this

> problem some years ago, the pain in my head neck and

> arm were excruciating.

THANKS LIZ FOR THE ADVICE. THREE YEARS AGO I HAD THE SAME THING BUT

I DEALT WITH IT FOR YEARS BEFORE AND AFTER THERAPY,HOT PACKS, MEDS

TRACTION AND EVERYTHING ELSE I LOST ALL THE FEELING AND I COULDNT

EVEN GRASP ANYTHING SO THE DR. SAID OPERATE OR LOSE THE USE OF MY

ARM AND HAND ALL TOGETHER. THEY WENT THROUGH THE BACK OF MY NECK AND

I HAVE NEVER BEEN THE SAME. NOW FOR SOME REASONS I HAVE TWO NEW ONES

AND HE WOULD HAVE TO DO FUSION THROUGH THE THROAT. YEA RIGHT, I

ASKED FOR A SILVER BULLET BUT HE JUST GAVE ME A FUNNY LOOK. I TOLD

HIM I DIDNT WANT TO COME BACK AND THATS HOW WEREWOLVES WERE

KILLED.HAHA

I HAVE BEEN WEARING THE COLLAR AROUND MY HOUSE BUT I FEEL AWKWARD IN

PUBLIC ALREADY SO I DONT WANT ANYMORE ATTENTION. I AM GOING TO TRY

AND DO WHATEVER I CAN AND JUST LEARN TO LIVE WITH THE PAIN. BUT LAST

NIGHT IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN A WILD ANIMAL I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE

BITTEN MY ARM OFF. HAHA

I HAVE ALSO HAD TWO LOWER BACK SURGERIES. I WAITED TO LONG THERE

ALSO AND HAD TOTAL FOOT DROP AND MY LEG WAS DRAGGING. THEY DID A

FUSION FROM MY HIP AND SO FAR I HAVE HAD NO I AM NOT GOING

THERE.DARE I BRAG ON SOMETHING GOOD WITH MY LUCK HAHA

I ASKED THE DR. WHY DO I GET BLOW OUTS INTO THE NERVE AND HE SAID IT

WAS THE LUCK OF THE IRISH,I SAID I AM NOT IRISH. HE NEVER COULD

ANSWER THAT AND I STILL WONDER HOW COME FOR NO REASONS MY DISC

RUPTURE. I HAD A MAN ONE TIME TELL ME I WAS A SISSY BECAUSE HE HAD

RUPTURED DISC FOR YEARS AND NO SURGERY. I TOLD HIM I DID ALSO BUT

WHEN ONE ALMOST PRESSES AGAINST A NERVE AND KILLS IT THEN YOU ARE IN

TROUBLE, OH WELL IF I HAD ANY LUCK I WOULDNT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

I AM GOING TO SIT IN THE SPA FOR AWHILE TONIGHT AND MAYBE IT WILL

RELIEVE SOME OF THE TENSION. TAKE CARE NANCY

July 22, 2002

Hi Lucy, I have your brochures all ready to be mailed out tomorrow. I will

be going off line or just lurking for the next few days. I am trying to get

as much rest as I can. I thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers and

hope to be home early next week and at least turn on the computer to say Hi.

Please take care and know I'm thinking of you a bunch.

hugs

December 8, 2003

howdeee, I am so very sorry that you had such a really terrible time of

it with the sticks-or is that with the " not sticks " ?? Anyway, Your home

& back at the putter,.so you know your with allot of friends here. Take

care, stay feeling better each day

LOVE & HUGS, grandmomBEV

hi everyone

Hi everyone,

I am back to the land of the living after a long weekend of trouble. I

had a terrible throat infection plus a visit to the ER to get a new IV

in after being poked 10 times by different nurses. My home care nurse

could not get an IV in, and did 4 unsuccessful attempts, leaving my arm

purple. So I had to go to the ER to get one started. The nurse there

tried 4 times and did in the under side of both arms. So I have there

two swollen and purple arms. It kills!!! I have no idea what

happened. Then the special IV team came and the woman did an IV in

three seconds. And it was perfect. How horrible is that, that they

could not get someone who could do it right off the bat.

This morning I am black and blue. And so sore that I can't lean my arm

against anything. It really sucks that something so simple and

seemingly routine became such a big deal and took this whole weekend to

get back on track. oh well.

So I got back onto my computer this morning and had like 120 emails

from you guys and some other people. It was fun to read them - well

some were not mean to be fun, but the holiday tradition ones were

really cool. Very cheerful!!!

Hope everyone is doing really well.

Natalia

Natalia Boguslawska

http://www.stores.ebay.ca/janespeedinpink

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The opinions and information exchanged on this list should IN NO WAY

be construed as medical advice.

PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE CHANGING ANY MEDICATIONS OR

TREATMENTS.

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December 8, 2003